Episode Summary
Tariffs paid by midsized American businesses tripled over the last year as the average import tax rate climbed to thirteen percent. New research from the New York Federal Reserve and JPMorganChase indicates that nearly ninety percent of this financial burden is being absorbed by domestic companies and consumers rather than foreign exporters. This economic friction comes as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on the legality of the administration’s tariff agenda. Meanwhile, in the judicial branch, Federal Judge Sunshine Sykes has vacated a mandatory detention ruling, accusing the White House of terrorizing immigrants and violating federal law. Internationally, the AI Impact Summit in Delhi has exposed a rift between tech leaders and the United States government. Google DeepMind CEO Sir Demis Hassabis is calling for urgent global regulation to mitigate autonomous threats, while U.S. officials have explicitly rejected any form of centralized global governance for artificial intelligence. Finally, Stanford University researchers have announced a breakthrough universal nasal spray vaccine that has successfully protected mice against a wide range of respiratory viruses and allergens.
Show Notes
Midsized businesses in the United States have seen their tariff payments triple over the past year as the average tax on imports surged from 2.6 percent to 13 percent. Recent data from the New York Federal Reserve and JPMorganChase suggest that 90 percent of these costs fall directly on American consumers and firms. As the Supreme Court weighs the legality of these trade policies, the administration faces further legal pressure from U.S. District Judge Sunshine Sykes, who recently vacated immigration detention mandates. In the technology sector, the AI Impact Summit in Delhi has highlighted a growing divide between industry leaders like Sir Demis Hassabis, who advocates for smart regulation, and the White House, which rejects global AI governance. Additionally, medical researchers at Stanford University have developed a universal nasal spray that could provide broad protection against diverse respiratory threats.
Topics Covered
- 📊 Economic Impact: Research shows the average effective tariff rate has reached nearly 17 percent, the highest level since 1932.
- 🏛️ Immigration Rulings: Judge Sunshine Sykes joins over 370 federal judges in rejecting administration efforts to mandate detention without bond.
- 🌍 AI Governance: Global leaders at the Delhi summit clash over the need for robust guardrails and international oversight for autonomous systems.
- 🔬 Medical Innovation: A new Stanford-led intranasal vaccine sustains both innate and adaptive immune responses to fight flus and allergies.
Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human reviewed. View our AI Transparency Policy at NeuralNewscast.com.
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (00:04) - Billboard
- (00:04) - Economic Disruption and Legal Rulings
- (00:24) - Global AI Safety and Medical Breakthroughs
Transcript
Full Transcript Available
[00:00] Thomas Keane: From Neural Newscast, I'm Thomas Keene.
[00:02] Vanessa Calderon: And I'm Vanessa Kelderon.
[00:04] Thomas Keane: Today, new economic research shows that tariffs on mid-sized American companies tripled over the last year.
[00:16] Thomas Keane: This comes as the Supreme Court prepares a landmark ruling on trade authority.
[00:24] Vanessa Calderon: We are also following a major divide at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi,
[00:28] Vanessa Calderon: plus a breakthrough from Stanford researchers on a universal nasal spray for respiratory health.
[00:34] Thomas Keane: Tariffs paid by mid-size U.S. businesses tripled throughout 2025.
[00:39] Thomas Keane: That is according to new research tied to J.P. Morgan Chase released on Thursday.
[00:44] Vanessa Calderon: The data highlights a significant disruption.
[00:47] Vanessa Calderon: The average tariff rate jumped from just over 2% to 13% last year.
[00:52] Thomas Keane: Researchers at the New York Federal Reserve found that 90% of that burden is landing on domestic companies and consumers.
[00:59] Thomas Keane: it is not being absorbed by foreign entities.
[01:02] Vanessa Calderon: White House official Kevin Hassett has criticized that study,
[01:06] Vanessa Calderon: but the Supreme Court could decide the fate of this entire tariff agenda as soon as Friday.
[01:11] Thomas Keane: In other news, federal judge Sunshine Sykes issued a decision late Wednesday.
[01:16] Thomas Keane: The ruling accuses the administration of terrorizing immigrants and recklessly violating the law.
[01:22] Vanessa Calderon: The judge vacated a Board of Immigration Appeals ruling on mandatory detention.
[01:27] Vanessa Calderon: She cited the deaths of two individuals in Minnesota as evidence of violence against citizens.
[01:32] Thomas Keane: Sykes is one of 373 judges who have rejected these detention mandates.
[01:38] Thomas Keane: That group notably includes 44 appointees from the president's first term.
[01:42] Vanessa Calderon: It is a massive legal hurdle for the White House.
[01:45] Vanessa Calderon: The administration is currently pushing to deport millions of people living in the country illegally.
[01:50] Thomas Keane: Turning now to the AI Impact Summit in Delhi, the head of Google DeepMind says more research on artificial intelligence threats is needed urgently.
[02:00] Vanessa Calderon: Sir Damis Hasabas told the BBC earlier today that the industry needs smart regulation.
[02:06] Vanessa Calderon: He believes we must handle real risks like bad actors and a loss of control.
[02:10] Thomas Keane: However, the United States delegation has explicitly rejected the idea of global governance,
[02:16] Thomas Keane: lead delegate Michael Kratzios spoke against centralized bureaucratic control over the technology.
[02:22] Vanessa Calderon: While Hasabas thinks China might catch up to the West in just a few months,
[02:27] Vanessa Calderon: the U.S. seems intent on maintaining a hands-off approach to speed up adoption.
[02:31] Thomas Keane: Meanwhile, researchers at Stanford University have developed a universal nasal spray vaccine.
[02:37] Thomas Keane: It could protect against nearly all respiratory infections.
[02:41] Vanessa Calderon: Dr. Bali Poulindran and his team created a formula that sustained immune responses in mice against
[02:49] Vanessa Calderon: flus, colds, and even certain bacterial lung infections.
[02:55] Thomas Keane: The study suggests the spray might even ease allergies.
[02:59] Thomas Keane: This would be a significant breakthrough for anyone tired of seasonal sniffles.
[03:04] Thomas Keane: I'm Thomas Keene.
[03:06] Vanessa Calderon: And I'm Vanessa Calderone.
[03:08] Vanessa Calderon: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
[03:11] Vanessa Calderon: View our AI Transparency Policy at neuralnewscast.com.
✓ Full transcript loaded from separate file: transcript.txt
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